Gay Benidorm City Guide

 

Benidorm

Benidorm is a Spanish seaside town in Alicante province. This small fishing village has now become the most famous beach resort destination on Costa Blanca.

The advent of cheap flights in the 70's saw Benidorm transformed from by the construction of numerous high-rise hotels and holiday apartment blocks set against the backdrop of the Sierra Helada National Park.

The town boasts over 4km of safe, sandy beaches, great all-year weather and a vibrant nightlife.

Benidorm is made up of three distinct areas- Poniente, Levante (an area depicted in a British TV series) and in the middle, Benidorm's historic Old Town, home to Benidorm's quite extensive gay scene.

 

Gay Scene

Benidorm's substantial gay village serves tourists, locals and a large British and Irish gay expat community. The gay scene is focused around a number of walking streets in Benidorm's Old Town.

The scene attracts men of all ages. It's fun, friendly and quite different to the mega club-centric environment found in Barcelona or Ibiza.

There are a wide variety of small bars that cater to all tastes, from outrageously funny drag shows to exclusively male cruise bars with dark rooms. The Mercury Disco-Pub is popular with those who want to dance all night long. A number of venues are particularly popular with the TV and TS community.

The Benidorm LGBT Pride festival in September is the city's largest annual gay event that has become very successful.

Getting to Benidorm

There are daily flights from most major European cities to the nearby Alicante Airport.

A number of shuttle bus services operate between the airport and the town, and is probably the easiest way to get to Benidorm. Most operate an internet booking service and generally cost less than €10 each way (expect higher prices in the summer).

You could also get the bus into Alicante and then the train to Benidorm from there. Taxis cost around €70 if flagged at the airport.

 

Getting around Benidorm

Benidorm's central area, including the gay village within the Old Town is very easy to walk around. Many streets are pedestrianised.

Benidorm has an excellent local bus service that operates routes through the town until midnight, and to nearby towns such as Altea, Calpe and Alicante.

 

Where to Stay in Benidorm

It's best to stay within the Old Town, close to the Gay Village. Our list of recommended hotels in Benidorm for gay travelers can be found on the Gay Benidorm Hotels page.

 

Things to See & Do

Benidorm is completed geared up for tourism, and as such, there is a huge range of things to do and see in or near the town. Here are some of our favorites:

 

 

• Aqualandia - massive water park; opens from May to September.
• Mundomar - sealife and animal park with dolphins, seals etc.; open from Feb 21st.
• Terra Mitica  - a massive theme park with roller coasters and other thrill rides, shows etc.; open from April.
• Terra Natura - Wildlife park with over 1,500 animals, and during the summer a water park.
• Hire a care and explore the nearby villages and beautiful mountains.
• Explore the wine and almond growing region of Calpe, a 30 minutes' drive north of Benidorm.
• Visit Altea -a beautiful Spanish town just 12km by bus from Benidorm.

 

 

 

When to Visit

Thanks to the mountains that surround the town, Benidorm's enjoys consistently good all-year-round weather, with over 3,400 hours of sunshine a year.

Temperatures in the winter rarely fall below 18°C. The hottest months are from July to September. Average highs can reach 30°C in August.

 

Money

Spain is within the euro zone. Cash dispensers are widely available. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted.